Much Better
by SparksStar39
Summary: Fred's been looking for Katie all day, and it's been driving her nuts. Fratie, because it's cute. FWKB


One Sunday morning mid January I found myself completely bored out of my mind. By the time I had rolled out of bed, all of Gryffindor Tower had gone down to breakfast, and I was left completely and utterly alone with nothing to do. Sitting up in bed, I stretched slowly and thought of what I would do until someone worthwhile came back up from breakfast to save me from my boredom. Surely Angelina would grab Alicia to go out to the Quidditch pitch for some _extra practice, _and Lee would probably follow after them like a lost puppy. Leanne was probably spending the day with her friends in Hufflepuff, or perhaps roaming around the castle with her new boyfriend. That left Fred and George for my only source of amusement, and one could hardly rely on them for showing up to the common room when one needed them most. The two of them were probably lurking about the castle trying to seduce the younger students into trying their latest products for the shop they were hoping to start once out of school.

Realizing that no source of entertainment would come anytime soon, I decided to get ready and head down to the common room by myself.

Once my bed had been made and I was all freshened up for the day, I pulled a sweater that Mrs. Weasley had knit me this past Christmas over my head and slowly made my way down the stairs to Gryffindor common room. As predicted, the whole place was empty, and there was a fire crackling pleasantly in the hearth.

Grinning, I flopped myself down onto one of my favorite oversized armchairs by the fire. The chair was nice and comfortable, and for once not occupied by one of my friends. I smiled and swung my legs over one of the arms and leaned back.

Normally I might be thankful for the deserted and quiet common room, but today, I found it highly annoying and all together _boring_. So, for longer than I should have, I fiddled with my hair, threw paper balls into the fire, and cleaned up some of the mess that was in the cozy room. Deciding that all of these things now bored me and offered no help to me, I grabbed a few of my things and made my way out of the portrait hole. The Fat Lady seemed startled that someone was still in there, and called after me, but I ignored her and continued down the halls towards the library. If I was lucky, maybe I could get some of my assignments done for the week.

I had hardly passed by anyone of importance through the halls, and anyone I did pass just looked at me and began talking to whoever they were with in hushed tones. I thought of this as extremely rude, but pushed it aside as maybe having something on my face.

Once down in the library, Madame Pince looked at me shockingly, and appeared to have opened her mouth to say something, but thought twice and shut it.

_Did I really not come in here enough for her to be that shocked?_

And the moment I had thought that, I remembered the last time I was in here. It was just around late November, and the first snow had fallen for the year. Fred, George, and I had gotten into a snowball fight with a few of our friends when someone's snowball had slipped and hit the caretaker Filch in the face. He got very mad very fast, and began to chase after us as fast as his bad leg could take. The three of us knew we were in for an overdue detention for something or another, so we bolted it into the castle.

Somewhere along the way Fred and I had lost George, and decided to duck into the library for hiding. The two of us were dripping wet with snow, and decided to hide in an aisle between the shelves of books that no one was in. We were trying our best to control our laughter and the trail of dripping snow that we left behind us, but to no avail. Madame Pince had found us out. She scolded us, and almost threw a book at the pair of us before kicking us out and threatening to tell Dumbledore if we had ever tried to come in her library like that again.

So I gave her a small smile and nodded my greeting to her. I made my way quietly to one of the tables that had a sort of half wall by the halls. Spreading out my things on the table that I solely occupied, I picked up my half completed charms homework and began to fill in some answers.

"_Explain the pros and cons of the 'Diffindo Charm' and give an example for a situation that would require one to use this."_

What the hell? When would I ever need to think of the pros and cons of splitting a seam? Better yet, what good things _were _there about this? All I could think of were negative things, and only a few at that. Flitwick must be off his rocker if he thinks he's going to get any serious answers from me for a question like this.

Sighing agitatedly, I dunked the tip of my quill into some ink and began to think of a response that wouldn't have to have me redo my homework entirely.

_The Diffindo charm is a very useful way to_—

"Kitty Kat! What a pleasant surprise to find the likes of _you _in here!"

I suppressed a growl and set my quill down next to my unfinished answer. Looking up, I found none other than George Weasley standing at the opposite end of the round table, looking down at me with a cheeky grin on his face.

"George, you know that I _detest _cats."

George shrugged, a grin still intact on his face. "Still doesn't mean that the nickname suits you any less, Kitty."

This time I actually _did _growl a little, and heard George laugh goodheartedly at me. "So," I asked, clearly annoyed at the interruption from my work I was receiving. "did you actually come over here for something, or can you just bugger off now?" I gestured to the papers in front of me, and looked up at him. "Because, _clearly, _I'm trying to work."

All George did was roll his eyes and sit down across from me. He threw his feet up on the table, and kicked back in his chair. "Can't a guy just come and talk to one of his best mates?"

"No. Now sod off, Weasley."

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Bad Kitty Kat." His feet were on the ground now, and he propped himself on his elbows, leaning forward. "Why so testy?" George's grin grew even wider now. "Cat got your tongue?"

Fists clenched, I started taking deep breaths, counting to ten slowly in my head. If he kept bugging me like this, surely I would rip his ears off.

"George," I did my best to control the anger in my voice, and his grin still remained. "could you _please _just get to a _point_?"

George simply smirked, and crossed his arms over his chest, leaning back in his chair once more. "Surely I could, Kat. I just wanted to let you know that—"

"_George Weasley, _there_ you are_!" Alicia Spinnet half ran over to the two of us, successfully cutting George off from whatever he was about to say. He looked extremely put out, but not even half as annoyed as I was for all of these interruptions.

"Alicia," He growled, shrugging her hand off his shoulder. "what are _you _doing here?"

Alicia glared daggers at George. "I could ask you the same thing."

I looked confusedly between the two of them, and was ready to open my mouth to ask them to leave so I could finish my work when George spoke.

"Well, you see, I was just filling Kitty in here about F—" But George never got to finish, for Alicia had clamped her hand over his mouth. George glared daggers up at Alicia, and took her hand off his mouth.

"Don't you _dare, _George Weasley, or so help me I'll—"

"You'll _what, _'Lic?"

Extremely annoyed and not seeing this little banter coming to an end, I finally spoke up. "Whatever you two dunderheads are talking about, can you please just get to a point?" I once again displayed my almost complete charms homework to them.

Both Alicia and George spoke at once, but nothing that either of them said was intelligible.

"Come again?"

"Fred—"

But once again George had been shoved out of the way and shut up. "Have you seen Fred at all today, Katie?" Alicia glared back at George quickly before turning to me and gave me a sweet smile.

"No. You two are the first two that I've talked to." Alicia looked put out, and George was making faces at her from behind. "Now, if that's all you wanted to know..."

George began to say something, but Alicia silenced him for a third time. "No, that's all Katie." And she grabbed him by the ear, like a mother would a small child. "We were just leaving anyway."

So with yelps of pain from George, he and Alicia exited the library together.

_Finally, _I thought, _some peace and quiet._

But my happiness was short lived, because only a second later Madame Pince came swooping down on me trying to do my work.

"_Miss Bell,_" She whispered sharply, readjusting her glasses on her pointy nose. "I've told you before that if you can't keep quiet, then I'd be forced to inform Dumbledore."

I couldn't believe this. I had barely said a _word, _and she was kicking me out because my friends couldn't keep their mouths shut? "B-but—"

"_No excuses. Out._" And she pointed her long, bony finger at the door. I grabbed my things, gave her the finger once her back was turned, and stormed out of the library.

When I saw Alicia and George again, I'd give them a piece of my mind for getting me kicked out of the library. Plus, I never even got to figure out what George had been trying to tell me in the first place.

Yes, I would kill them.

Making my way down the halls of Hogwarts moodily, my stomach growled. It hit me then just how hungry I was, and that I had skipped out on breakfast, so I rounded a corner and decided to head off towards the kitchens to find some food to eat.

Once I had made sure no teachers or prefects were in sight, I tickled the pear and entered into the large room filled with house elves bustling about.

"Miss Bell!"

"Oh, sweet heavens, Misses Bell is here to visit us!"

"But she's alone, ain't she?"

"Aye, yes, but—"

I smiled and waved to the small elves surrounding me. A few of them were tugging on my sweater, pulling me over to a few bar stools by some other students sitting there. I recognized them immediately: It was Harry Potter and his two friends Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley, Fred and George's younger brother.

Harry waved and greeted me as I sat down, and Ron tried to say hello with a muffin in his mouth, but ended up spitting crumbs everywhere, earning him a glare and scolding from Hermione.

"Harry, Hermione, Ron," I nodded to each of them, placing my books down on the countertop. "It's nice to see you again, Katie. Thanks again for the Chudley Cannons poster, it's really cool!"

I smiled at Ron, and waved it off. "It was nothing, Ron. Seeing as I hang around your house so much with Fred and George, I just _had _to get you it."

Ron shrugged and popped another muffin into his mouth. "Schtill," He said, mouth full. "thanksh anywaysh." Harry laughed, and I joined in as Hermione hit Ron over the head, telling him it was rude to talk with food in your mouth.

"Yeah, I meant to say thanks too, Katie." Harry spoke this time, ignoring Ron and Hermione's bickering about manners. "For the new gloves, I mean. They looked really expensive."

I shrugged, and leaned in towards Harry a little. "Don't worry about it." Harry opened his mouth to speak, but I continued talking. "Plus, I figured they might be useful, you know, with beating Slytherin again this year and all."

Harry's face lit up upon hearing this, and he agreed, saying that he'd get me something just as nice to make up for the gift next Christmas.

"So Katie," Hermione spoke, finally appearing done with yelling at Ron for now. "what brings _you _down here?"

I shrugged, and grabbed an apple from a nearby basket of fruit. "Dunno, I guess I was just hungry."

Ron nodded, and swallowed. "Yeah, my brother was looking for you actually at breakfast. Didn't see ya there, but he wanted to—_Oomph! Bloody hell, Hermione, what was _that _for_?" Hermione, who appeared to have elbowed Ron in the side very hard, smiled at me.

"Fred's been wondering where you were. You haven't seen him today?"

"No..." I spoke slowly, trying not to let my curiosity get the better of me. "Should I have seen him?"

Harry opened his mouth to speak, but shut it quickly when Hermione gave him a look.

I laughed nervously. Were these three trying to hide something from me, too? "What?"

It was Hermione who spoke this time though. "Nothing, nothing..." She spotted my books, and nodded her head at them. "Is that your homework?"

I groaned, and nodded my head. "Yeah, actually. Tried to get it done in the library, but George and Alicia got me kicked out."

Hermione's face lit up when I told her that it was my homework. "Do you... I mean, _could I _help you with it?" She looked so hopeful, and so eager to do someone much older than her's work.

I laughed, and slid it over to her. "Knock yourself out, Hermione."

The small bushy haired girl looked as if I had just handed her a thousand Galleons, and grabbed my books hungrily, immediately putting her all into my work. I looked over at Harry or Ron for an explanation, but both just shrugged, and we began discussing Quidditch, and what our chances were for the House Cup this year.

After nearly an hour, stomachs full, Hermione shut my books and slid them back over to me. "Here you go, Katie." She beamed at me. "All done, and all right, if I'm not mistaken."

Ron gaped at her. "You did her _homework_?" Hermione blushed, and nodded. "B-but, you don't even do _mine_!"

Hermione glared at Ron, and crossed her arms huffily over her chest. "So? It was easy, and I got carried away."

I smiled gratefully at Hermione, making a mental note to grab her something nice whenever her birthday was. Ron had murmured something unintelligible, and Harry shook his head disbelievingly at his friend.

"I just couldn't do your Divination..." Hermione trailed off, looking away. "I dropped that _stupid _class after third year." Ron snickered, but Hermione didn't do anything to stop him. I smiled gratefully, and thanked her anyways.

"Well," I said finally, standing up. "It was nice seeing you three again." Harry and his friends smiled. "And Hermione, thanks a million for doing this," I gestured to the books under my arm. "I owe ya one! When's your birthday, I feel badly that I hadn't gotten you anything for Christmas."

Hermione went pink at this. "N-no, you don't have to get me anything! It was easy, and—"

But I held up a hand to silence the small girl. "Hermione, that's what _friends do_." I grinned down at her. "Now, when's your birthday again?"

Hermione smiled gratefully up at me. "September nineteenth."

I smiled widely, and nodded my head. "Alrighty then. Thanks!"

And I had almost made it out of the kitchen when I heard Harry call after me, with Ron following close behind. "Katie, wait!"

"Yeah, Harry? What's up?"

"We don't have practice tomorrow, do we?"

I shook my head. "No, thank Merlin. Wood moved it to Tuesday, bless him." Harry seemed just as relieved as I sounded, and nodded his thanks. Ron opened his mouth to speak after a moment.

"Katie," His voice was low, and he looked back at Hermione, careful not to be heard. "my brother really _is _looking for you. He wanted to tell you—" But Harry had coughed, and gave Ron a hard look that shut him up. I cocked an eyebrow at the two boys, but shrugged, said my goodbyes, and left the kitchen.

My walk back up to the Tower was uneventful and shorter than usual, thanks to the staircases moving about. I had reached the Fat Lady in record time, and smiled as I told her the password.

However, the Fat Lady didn't swing upon just yet. Instead, she looked me up and down, and muttered something incoherent.

"Ah! You're Miss Bell, aren't you?"

I nodded my head slowly, clearly confused. Did it matter who I was? I had the password, and I was a Gryffindor. Couldn't she just let me inside?

"Well, a certain Mr. Weasley is looking for you, dear. Has been all day I'm afraid."

I cocked an eyebrow at the painting, getting annoyed. "Oh, is that so?" The Fat Lady nodded her round head, pleased with herself. "And I don't suppose you'll tell me _why _he's looking for me, will you?"

The Fat Lady shook her head, and the portrait hole opened. I huffed and stormed into the common room, slamming her painting shut behind me violently. A group of second years stared at me warily for a moment as I stomped into the common room, but went about their business when I looked at them moodily.

I made my way up to my room, annoyed that so many people were telling me that Fred had been looking for me all day, and dropped my books carelessly on top of my trunk, earning a loud _clunk_.

I went and plopped myself onto my bed angrily, staring up at the top of the wooden top of the bed. I had pictures tacked up all over of my friends, family, team, and famous Quidditch players. I reached up and took one down that caught my eye.

The picture was of Fred, George, and I on the train. It was just from this year, and we were all making face at one another, acting like animals. I smiled and rolled my eyes, tacking my picture back up where it belonged.

Bored up all alone in my dorm room, I decided to go back downstairs after I ran a brush through my long brown hair a few times. I looked in the mirror before hopping down the stairs and going to sit down on the unoccupied sofa in front of the fireplace.

A few minutes later, Lee Jordan came ambling down the stairs from the boys' dorms, holding a bag of Chocoballs that he had bought yesterday in Hogsmeade. "Katie Bell!" I waved him over and patted the couch for him to come sit. Lee threw himself down next to me and held out his bag of chocolate.

I took one and popped it in my mouth, instantly met with the taste of strawberry mousse. "Thanks Lee."

"So," He said, after taking a moment to swallow a few Chocoballs down. "how've you been?"

I shrugged, and continued to stare into the fire. "Alright, I s'pose. Yourself?"

Lee too, shrugged, and swallowed another Chocoball. "No complaints here. Just excited for the Quidditch game in a few weeks."

I nodded in agreement, and reached my hand into his bag to find out that he had eaten all of the Chocoballs. Lee looked apologetic, and stuffed the empty bag into his pocket. "So..."

"So..." I agreed, clearly bored.

"Fred's been looking for you, ya know." Lee was smiling from ear to ear.

I narrowed my eyes. "Is that supposed to be _funny, _Lee?"

"W-what? Katie, I—"

But I stood up and stormed off, not bothering to hear what he had to say. I was off to find Fred Weasley—this was getting ridiculous.

I was practically flying down the hallways, searching angrily for him, when I spotted Angelina.

"Katie! You know, Fred's—"

"—Looking for me. Yes, I know." I spat back, and she just shrugged, and continued on her path of the opposite direction I was going.

I was on the fifth floor when I spotted a tall, freckly boy with bright red hair. Yes! I stomped over to him—his back was turned—and whipped him around to face me. I was shocked to find that it was George, and not Fred.

"You." I growled angrily at George, who's startled expression had been replaced by a bemused one now. "Tell me where he is."

"Why, Kitty, I haven't the faintest idea—"

Fed up with everyone beating around the bush today, and completely sick of this joke, I shoved George back into the wall, and poked his chest. "You know exactlywho I'm talking about. Now _tell me where he is, George_."

George didn't look frightened, or even a little frazzled. He looked _amused_.

Damn him.

"Last I saw he was in the Astronomy Tower." I had begun my journey up their before he could finish speaking, and I faintly heard him yell after me that Fred was looking for me. I whipped around and gave him the finger. Turning back around, I heard George's booming laugh as I sped up towards the Astronomy Tower, taking two steps at a time.

I was just about to get on the steps of the sixth floor when I bumped into someone. Ready to cuss them out for not watching where they were going, I looked up alarmingly to see Professor Dumbledore chuckling softly to himself.

"Ah, Miss Bell. Careful where you're going!"

I blushed scarlet, and stepped down a step, away from my Headmaster. "P-professor Dumbledore, I'm so sorry!"

Dumbledore laughed softly again, and held up his hand to shut me up. "Nonsense Miss Bell, for I wasn't looking where I was going. I should be the one apologizing to you."

I shook my head, still embarassed that I had almost tackled my Headmaster on the stairs.

"Anyway, enough of that. I had the pleasure of speaking to Madame Pince today," I gulped, ready for my punishment. I had completely forgotten that she had threatened to tell Dumbledore. "and she had told me that you were being disruptive today."

I hung my head, not wanting to argue with Dumbledore.

"A point from Gryffindor, Miss Bell."

My head snapped up and my eyes widened in shock. "Y-yes, sir." A bloody point? That's _it_? And Dumbledore turned to leave. I too, turned to head back up the stairs toward the Astronomy Tower, but turned back around when I heard Dumbledore speak again.

"Oh, and Miss Bell?"

"Yeah, Professor?"

Dumbledore smiled, eyes twinkling. "I believe Mr. Weasley is looking for you."

I could feel that my mouth was hanging open in complete shock. So, Dumbledore was in on it too? This bit of information made my blood boil, and made me even more annoyed. "Yes, sir, I'm quite aware of that."

Dumbledore smiled, eyes still twinkling, and winked at me. After a second, he turned away, and began on his journey to wherever he was going.

Steamed and completely annoyed at Fred, I set off after him full speed, ready to chew him out. So, it wasn't enough to get our friends in on this joke, was it? He had to tell _Ron, _and bloody _Dumbledore, _too? The nerve of that boy.

Huffing and puffing a few minutes later, and even more angrier at Fred than I had been all day, I reached the Astronomy Tower. Bursting in, I gave a quick sweep of the room and located Fred by the window, all alone.

_Finally. Bloody hell._

Stomping over to him, Fred turned around, shocked and pleased to see me. He smiled pleasantly, despite my glaring daggers at him.

"Hello, Kates—"

But I wasn't going to have any of that. "_You_." I growled, pushing him up against the wall, just like I had done with George just a while ago.

"Me?" Fred looked confused, his smile no longer on his face.

"Yes, _you._" Who the bloody else would I be talking to? We _were _alone up here, after all. I poked him in the chest as I spoke. "I _know _what you've been _up to _all day."

I could see Fred gulp, and he looked down nervously at me, a small smile now on his face. "You know?"

I nodded angrily, still cornering him against the wall. "Yes, Fred, of course I know." Fred swallowed again, still looking down nervously at me. I took a step back from him. "And I _don't _think it's _funny_."

I looked up at him. For a moment, I almost felt pity for the tall, redheaded boy. His overly freckled face fell, and he looked put out and downright dejected. "Y-you thought me asking you out would be a _joke_?"

Whatever I had been expecting, it had not been that. I looked at him for a moment, not knowing what to say to my best friend. His face told me that _he _wasn't joking, and I suddenly felt very horrible.

"You... You wanted to _ask me out_?" Fred looked away, and I could have sworn I saw him blush.

Fred began to move away from me as he spoke. "Yeah, but I can see that you think it's all very funny, so I'll just—"

But in that moment, in that one tiny moment, I grabbed Fred and brought his head down to meet mine—our lips meeting together. It took a second for Fred to register what was happening, but when he did, he snaked his hands around my waist and pulled me closer to him. I responded to the kiss, and brought my hands up to his hair.

The kiss was perfect, and I saw fireworks. My whole body felt like it was on fire, and I never felt happier in that one moment.

So after a while longer of kissing him, we broke apart. I had the dopiest grin on my face, looking up at him, and he looked down at me, completely happy, and completely confused all the same.

"So does that mean—" I nodded my head. Of course I'd go out with him.

"And you'll be—" Another nod. Nothing would make me happier than to be my best friend's girlfriend... Not if it meant that I got to kiss him like _that _some more.

All Fred could do was grin just as dopily back down at me. He laced our fingers together, and led us to the door.

"So," I began, leaning against him, loving how my hand fit into his. "that's what everyone's been trying to get me to find you all day for? You wanted to ask me out?"

Fred nodded, blushing.

I smiled, and stood on my tiptoes to give him a peck on the cheek. "What took you so long?"

He shrugged. "Dunno... I guess I was just nervous."

I snorted at his excuse. "Fred Weasley... _Nervous_?"

We laughed, and he led me down the hall. "Alright, so that, _and _I had to finish my star chart for Trelawney. S'that better?"

I grinned, and suddenly remembered my own star chart that needed to be completed. "Yes, better..."

Fred noticed that something was on my mind. "...But?"

I blushed, and looked up at him sheepishly. "Well, I didn't really get to finish mine today, seeing as you had me kinda busy."

Fred barked a laugh, and we rounded a corner. "Well then, how about I have you copy mine?"

I laughed, and gave him another peck on the cheek, earning another blush from him. "Much better."


End file.
